Thursday, December 28, 2006

My first New Year's Day in New York City, I was panic struck: where was I going to find my annual dose of black-eyed peas? Not having any of the ingredients on hand and with all the stores closed, I was afraid I'd spend 1996 poor and unfortunate. Call me superstitious, but I reckon I need all the help I can get. So after much wandering around the Upper West Side, with only slice joints and the occasional Chinese take-out open for business, a friend suggested we go to Harlem.

But of course! Being new to the city, I hadn't visited Harlem yet because it still had a bad reputation (that would, fortunately, soon be reversed). But if I didn't have my black-eyed peas for wealth and luck, I was certain to be doomed. So we decided to take a chance and go to Sylvia's.

Well, the first two taxis refused to take us there (because Harlem was considered dangerous—sheesh!) but once we finally arrived, all was well: Harlem wasn't scary, Sylvia's was warm and welcoming, and we all had our fill of slow-cooked black-eyed peas dripping with peppers and bacon. And I became a frequent visitor to Harlem's excellent soul food restaurants—everything from church kitchens to the all-you-can-eat buffets with the diners and fine dining establishments thrown in for good measure. But I'm not here to talk about Harlem, I'm here to talk about black-eyed peas.
This southern staple has nourished me my whole life. My grandparents grow them on their farm and nary a dinner is complete without a heaping bowl of the legumes. Of course, I'm a bit biased when I say the black-eyed-peas from Chambersville, TX are the best, but there is something about terroir—it's just as important for peas as it is for grapes. Unfortunately, they weren't able to harvest any this year due to drought, but hopefully we'll get a big haul next year. In the meantime, I can buy some at Whole Foods.

They're not only healthy for both your body and the earth (the plants release nitrogen and some farmers plant them just to enrich the soil) but they're tasty and versatile to cook with as well. You can serve them chilled with peppers in a dish called Texas caviar, you can form them into savory cakes, you can fry them up as croquettes or you can make a traditional hot pot flavored with bacon and onions.

So if you need that extra push of good fortune in 2007, consider eating some black-eyed peas on Monday. Do they work? I have no idea, but let's just say, the one year I didn't eat them on New Year's Day I broke my wrist skiing. Ouch! Suffice to say, I never made that mistake again!

Method:
Wash and pick over peas. In a large pot, mix peas with water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
Add all other ingredients and simmer, covered, 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until peas are tender.

36 comments:

Just had some black-eyed peas the other day, the first in ages, in a little restaurant we found en route to our place in Aplachicola. They were okay, but this version sounds much better. Where were you when I needed you?

I am so glad to see that the Texan way of celebrating New Year's is alive and well in NYC. We always have a ham, black eyed peas, greens and candied yams. Even being this far away from home, those traditions give me comfort when I can't be with my Texas family. Have a Happy Texas inspired New Year!

Heh -- that reminds me of an apocryphal story I heard once regarding Mme De Gaulle upon the retirement of her husband. And English-speaking reporter asked her what she most looked forward to in retired life, to which she responded, "I most look forward to a penis." After an awkward pause, her husband replied, "it is pronounced happiness."

Native Texan here. Live further west now, but we still have blackeyed peas (for luck) AND cabbage (for money) every New Year's day. I prefer using frozen blackeyeds as they taste more like fresh ones. Seasoned with fresh garlic, onion, ham, dried red chili, salt. (They're on cooking at this very minute.) Cabbage will be chopped for a crunchy slaw. And because we're having peas, we must also have cornbread...preferably made with buttermilk and baked in a cast iron skillet. Love your blog. Happy New Year!

Dave--I'm honored that your first ever blog comment was here...cool! And your recipe sounds delish. You can never go wrong with a recipe that calls for Rotel and bacon. And yep, cornbread is mandatory.

Nicole--No worries, Blogger can be cantankerous at times. Happy New Year to you, too!

Julie--I've never made Hoppin' John because we usually eat our black-eyed peas with corn chips or cornbread, but I reckon it's something I'd enjoy. All good things to you, too, in the new year!

Sean--Thanks for the giggle! I read this to my friends and we're all cracking up--oh, golly--the perils of a foreign language!

Tammy--Thank you! Sounds like you have an excellent New Year's Day meal planned. And yes, cornbread should ALWAYS be made in a cast-iron skillet.

Since it's just me this year (my son told me he didn't LIKE black-eyed peas, the little savage!), I used canned black-eyed peas and doctored them up with onion, bacon, and a little Rotel, and served them over rice. I also had some yummy cabbage and cornbread. Mmmm. So I'm ready for my good luck in 2007!

Thanks for the recipe. I am going to make this tomorrow. We need a change of fortune ;)

Despite being away for the holidays and no shopping for over 2 weeks I just happen to have nearly every ingredient in the house (even the bacon fat and everything local, to boot including local peas and home canned local tomatoes) the jalapeños are the only thing I am missing but some extra chili powder or a dried pepper should probably do the trick

I'm originally from Virginia living north of Boston. So much of this sounds so familiar! The coffee can of bacon grease, pecan trees growing in my grandparents' yard, chess pies (chocolate chess is the best!), and definitely black eyed peas on New Year's Day. My mom always put stewed tomatoes in there. One year when I hadn't eaten with them and was going out on a date at night, she insisted I bring along a tupperware container of them!!

MMMmmmm... I made some black eyed peas for Election Day (I think it might have worked...) and turned the left overs into Texas Caviar. My new favorite dip! When I ran out of chips I used a spoon! Thank you. A great way to get our fill of Texas as we are so far away from home!

Thanks so much for sharing this recipe, I am all teary eyed reading this, my dad loved this, he has been gone for two years now. He was from Gainesville, I was born in Ft. Worth, and my mom is from Desdemona. I cannot quite claim homesick Texan, because I have lived in Colorado since I was 3. I love your blog! love the recipes and recollections as well.

My husband thought I was crazy when I insisted that I had to have blacked eyed peas for New Years. It was a tradition my Mid-Western Daddy started about 5 years before he died. He'd have them in a crock pot and even though I hated the taste at the time he would make me eat at least 2 spoonfuls. I miss him so much...and this tradition helps keep his memory with me!!!!

I'm reading this after the fact...so to speak. Just wanted to say a most emphatic -AMEN- to the black-eyed pea thing!! It's tough -- I'm a displaced Texas living in East Central Illinois where everything begins and end with soybeans and corn. However, last summer with the help of a sympathetic farmer friend, I was able to dig up a garden spot in my backyard and plant BLACK-EYED PEAS!!! There was great reverence for the first pot, carefully tended and then devoured. Best food I've eaten since I was home in Texas for some of my mama's BEPsEnjoy your blog to the max!

I made a double batch and froze half of it....which I had to thaw out yesterday because I was craving them again!

I ended up adding 2 more cups of water than the recipe called for because after I boiled the peas there was barely any water left in the pot and I definitely wasn't going to be able to cook them for another hour or so without burning them.... my finished product was the consistency of a black eyed pea stew when i was done cooking it. maybe i cooked the peas too long? They don't seem like they are too mushy.it still tastes amazing though!

I just made this recipe for the big pot of beans, and they're killer! I added some dried cayenne peppers from the last hurrah of peppers in October (I'm in Waco) and they are perfectly spicy. Love the addition of bacon grease too.

Every year, I host a New Year's Day party where I serve about 120 people Hoppin John and Collards in my home. My mom started this family tradition back in the early 70's, and I have picked it up and have hosted at my house for 8 years now. Always a lot of fun to start the year off eating Hoppin' John with friends!